Eight Legged Freaks! (2002)
Cast: David Arquette, Karu Wuhrer, Scarlett Johansson, Scott Terra
Director: Ellory Elkayem
Synopsis: Small American town is over-run by giant mutated spiders - spiffing fun!
Reviewed by: Omar Khan

Thanks largely to Anaconda; the Creature Features just seem to be rolling out thicker and faster than ever before. We’ve already been hearing some buzz about the in-production Arachnid and just about every trip to the video store seems to see a welcome proliferation within the Creature Feature section with all sorts of CGI mayhem being presided over by a variety of sharks, crocodiles, alligators, komodos, King Cobras, Pythons, Boas, Octopuses – you name it, most creatures that bite (and many that don’t) have been hauled into action since the renaissance of the Creature Feature thanks not only to the success of Anaconda but also to the cheap, affordable and semi-convincing monster effects courtesy of CGI and the modern computer.

Eight Legged Freaks arrives with tongue firmly in cheek even before the movie has begun as the advertising smacks of comic book style fun rather than doomsday horror, totally the right approach keeping in mind the movies subject matter. This spoofy cousin of Tremors features a mostly likeable cast headed by forever-goofy David Arquette supported by Kari Wuhrer who already has some creature feature credentials having been eaten by the famed CGI Anaconda. The supporting cast is also a wacky amalgamation of likeable characters but the real stars of the show are the sensational eight legged beasts that leap around with such joy and magnificence in hunting down their prey.

The film’s plot follows what is almost a blue print for this kind of 50’s style creature feature with some nasty contaminated (nuclear naturally!?) chemicals are accidentally spilled into a local pond which seems to have an alarming effect on the local spider population. Unfortunately for the locals of the town they already have an array of the most exotic and deadly spiders in their vicinity as there is an old dilapidated spider farm run by one of the local crazies. It isn’t long before the contaminated water starts to have a terrible effect on the spiders and in no time at all they are transformed into giant, blood lusting beasts bounding around at alarming velocity attacking everything that comes into their deadly path.

The scares take second place to the laughs as they did during Tremors, a film that this is so reminiscent of. It’s difficult to dislike a film as light hearted and as well intentioned as this one and for what its worth this film is streets ahead of the turgid Arachnophobia from yesteryear, yet there is something missing from the experience that is difficult to put one’s finger on exactly. Perhaps it’s just not scary enough or not funny enough or just doesn’t offer anything fresh to add to the genre other than the magnificent CGI spiders.

Eight Legged Freaks is certainly a fun ride but somehow one gets the feeling that there should have been more to it because after one is through marvelling at the wonderfully crafted bugs and their spectacular antics there really isn’t very much else left to consider. Also the climax, when it finally arrives is really just an extension of what has gone before. Eight Legged Freaks should more than satisfy most Creature Feature addicts, especially those looking for a laugh rather than a scare but alas it pales when compared to the older and wiser cousin Tremors. If only it had been written by the folks who did Lake Placid, then maybe this could have been a classic.